001    package edu.nrao.sss.util;
002    
003    /**
004     * An object that has a text symbol.
005     * <p>
006     * <b>Version Info:</b>
007     * <table style="margin-left:2em">
008     *   <tr><td>$Revision: 1427 $</td></tr>
009     *   <tr><td>$Date: 2008-07-18 11:06:05 -0600 (Fri, 18 Jul 2008) $</td></tr>
010     *   <tr><td>$Author: dharland $</td></tr>
011     * </table></p>
012     *  
013     * @author David M. Harland
014     * @since 2006-08-11
015     */
016    public interface Symbolic
017    {
018      /**
019       * Returns the text symbol for this object.
020       * Examples of text symbols are "km" for "kilometer", "$" for "dollars",
021       * and "&#x00B0;" for "degrees".
022       * 
023       * @return the text symbol for this object.
024       */
025      public String getSymbol();
026      
027      /**
028       * Returns <i>true</i> if the case of the symbols carry meaning.
029       * For example, "mHz" is much smaller a measurement than "MHz".
030       * 
031       * @return <i>true</i> if the case of the symbols carry meaning.
032       */
033      public boolean symbolsAreCaseSensitive();
034    }